7 Hot Comics to Buy This Week: 8/3/2015

We all want the best of the best, so let us point out the hottest comics and collectibles released each week. We spotlight our favorite comics that we know are money-well-spent, new books that look cool, and any toys we can't wait to play with.

Check out our picks, then take to the comments to let us know what looks good to you!

This Damned Band #1 - $3.99

By writer Paul Cornell & artist Tony Parker | Dark Horse Comics

Sometimes all it takes is a simple premise to get us excited for a new comic. And hey, having comic book heavyweights like Paul Cornell and Tony Parker attached doesn’t hurt, either. This Damned Band is a documentary-style story about black magic and rock music. What if those bands who worshipped Satan as part of their shtick were actually worshipping Satan? We don’t know, but between the wild, hypnotic band-poster cover and the promise of a dark rock comedy, we can’t wait to find out.

The Justice League: Gods and Monsters movie from the mind of Bruce Timm created a fresh, compelling new universe where DC’s trinity -- Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman -- were reinvented with a darker, more brutal edge. Of all the new spins, Wonder Woman’s was by far the most compelling, with her tragic “Game of Thrones” origin stealing the show with the best scene of the film. Besides, it adds a whole new, fascinating layer for Wonder Woman to not be an Amazon but a New God of New Genesis, one that we are eager to see explored in this new comic.

We Stand On Guard #2 - $2.99

By writer Brian K. Vaughan & artist Steve Skroce | Image Comics

It’s hard to believe that Brian K. Vaughan is putting out two of the best comics on the shelf and only charging $2.99 an issue. Get them while you can, friends, because eventually he will realize he could charge twice that and we’d still be there first thing Wednesday morning, ready and willing to pay at our local comic shops.

The debut issue of We Stand On Guard gave us a bloody, exciting, and sublimely humorous first look into a world where Canada has been invaded by giant American war robots, and a small group of rebels must stand against them. It’s a strange concept, to be sure, yet artist Steve Skroce renders the carnage of war with such beautiful detail that we can’t help but keep on reading.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #3 - $3.99

By writer Dan Slott & artist Adam Kubert | Marvel Comics

Three issues in and Renew Your vows is still going strong. Dan Slott and Andy Kubert have created a world where all the heroes are either dead or in hiding as an evil overlord hunts them down. It’s a threat tailor-made to have a reunited Peter and MJ fret over their super-powered daughter, but honestly, it’s so great to see what “would have been” if they had remained a family that we are game for watching them get put through the wringer.

We are loving this series so much, in fact, that we wouldn’t be mad if Secret Wars ended and these changes stuck.

Star Wars: Darth Vader - $3.99

By writer Kieron Gillen & artist Salvador Larroca | Marvel Comics

Marvel has been killin’ it with all of their Star Wars comics and Darth Vader is no exception. Writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca keep finding ingenious ways to show Darth Vader as the cold, no-nonsense enforcer that he is while also slipping in emotional hints of his former self. Not to mention that he has given Vader a supporting cast of incredible new characters, from the murderous analogues for R2-D2 and C3PO to the duplicitous and crafty Aphra. And now that they’ve given distinct personalities to some infamous bounty hunters both old and new, things are coming to a head as the two parties cross paths in this issue. The body count will surely be high -- and the droids will surely be happy about that.

Groot #3 - $3.99

By writer Jeff Loveness & artist Brian Kesinger | Marvel Comics

Groot has been unexpected delight. We figured it’d be good -- but THIS good? Never would have called it. Jeff Loveness uses his clever and fun sense of humor to tell a story about Groot lost in space trying to find his way back to his pal, Rocket Raccoon. But really it’s Brian Kesinger who has impressed us. His cartooning is world-class stuff, able to create humorous gags and heart-touching scenes that make reading Groot an absolute pleasure.

Now that Groot has bumped into Silver Surfer and Dawn Greenwood -- a duo we are pretty much in love with -- we have nothing but good vibes about this week’s issue. Buy it with your dollars and buy it hard, because this is the kind of book we want more of.

John Flood #1 - $3.99

By writer Justin Jordan & artist Jorge Coehlo | Boom! Studios

The writer of Luther Strode is back with a six-issue mini-series about a man who can’t sleep. Wait, there’s more. Because he never gets any shut-eye, he’s in a constant dream-like state, so he is able to think about mysteries and clues in a way normal people can’t. This makes him a great PI, and boy do we love our PIs, especially when they have ex-cops as partners. Jordan has proven himself capable of telling stories that grab you by the collar and pull you right into a new world with crazy possibilities, and we have every confidence he will do just that with John Flood.

Joshua is IGN’s Comics Editor. If Game of Thrones, Green Lantern, or Super Smash Bros. are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter and IGN.